


may you bloom and grow

by katayla



Category: Hidden Legacy Series - Ilona Andrews
Genre: F/M, Family, Wedding Planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 21:48:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13109175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla
Summary: Let the wedding planning begin.





	may you bloom and grow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tosca1390](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tosca1390/gifts).



The stacks and stacks of bridal magazines weren't really a surprise, though I _was_ impressed with how quickly my sisters had managed to acquire them. Rogan and I had spent a few hours with his mother and then came straight back home. To a kitchen full of family and magazines and printouts from the internet. Had they gone straight from the trials to wedding planning?

I sighed loudly. Next to me, Rogan chuckled. He was still new enough to the family to find them amusing.

"Oh good! You're home!" Arabella jumped up from the table. "Now, Catalina and I already marked the best bridesmaids' dresses--"

"--but you should pick out your dress first," Catalina said. Arabella pouted a little at that and Catalina glared at her. "It's her wedding!

"I like this one," Grandma Frieda said, and handed me a torn out page displaying a monstrosity of ruffles and ribbons. The skirt looked at least six feet wide and I was pretty sure there were so many jewels embedded in the bodice that the dress would be far too heavy to move in.

"I'm just here to help with the food planning," Leon said. His section of the table was full of cookbooks.

I looked over at my mom and Bern, who were lounging against the counters.

"Someone has to keep them in line," Bern said.

"I'm keeping an eye on him," Mom said, and nodded at Rogan, who grinned at her.

I put my face in my hands. "What if we just elope?"

"You can't!" Arabella and Catalina said in unison.

"My first grandbaby needs a real wedding," Grandma said. She waved the magazine page at me.

Rogan pried my hands off my face. "We can do anything you want. We can jump in the helicopter and get married tonight."

"No!" Arabella said, and jumped up from the table, scattering magazines to the floor.

"No," my mom said.

And I looked over at her. Why? She and dad had a city hall wedding. She'd bought a dress from Sears and he'd worn a rental suit. And they'd been so happy together.

"We're a House now. You're a Prime. You chose this life. And there are certain expectations that go along with it. Aren't there?" And she looked pointedly at Rogan.

"I'm Mad Rogan. No one will dare object." He wasn't--quite--growling, but I could feel his magic rise up.

Mom sighed. "And we're a new House. We don't have the luxury of hiding behind a scary name."

She was right, damn it. All eyes would be on us. A quick wedding would look like we had something to hide or like we were ashamed. And a big wedding would help launch us into Houston society. The Baylor House would make a splash.

Everyone in the room watched me, eyes ranging from hopeful to sad to compassionate. I took Rogan's hand and led him from the room. Behind us, I heard Arabella start to say something and at least three voices shush her. Rogan and I entered my office and I shut the door.

"I mean it," he said. "We can sneak out right now. They'll never catch us."

"You know how many guns are in this house, right?" I crossed my arms and sat on my desk. 

Rogan put his arms on either side of me, leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I leaned into him for a long moment. I hated that our wedding couldn't just be about the two of us.

"This is what you meant, isn't it?" I asked. "Why you didn't want me to announce our engagement at the trials?"

And he kissed me, long and hard, and his magic burst around us, and I let it sweep me under and melt the rest of the world away. He felt so warm and I was so tired of thinking about Prime society. I slipped my hands under his shirt, but he pulled away.

"Connor," I said, when he didn't meet my eyes.

"Yes," he said.

"Everyone knows we're engaged. If we ran away to get married, it would look like we were too afraid to step out into society."

He sighed. "Yes."

I wrapped my arms around him. "I'm going to hate this."

"Mmm," he said. "But think how much your sisters will love it. All the dresses. The wedding shower, the bachelorette party . . ."

"Ugh," I said. "They're going to make my life a living hell."

He pressed a soft kiss on my lips. "The wedding night . . . ."

I brought him back down to me. "Wedding night, huh?"

He brushed a kiss against my neck. "All alone, in a hotel room with a giant bed, maybe a hot tub . . . champagne, roses . . ."

I tilted my head back and his kisses trailed lower. His magic caressed the small of my back and I let out a soft sigh as it started spreading. My hands found their way under his shirt. He always felt so good. And I would have this for the rest of my life. I got to touch him whenever I wanted.

"I love you," I said.

He surged back up to my lips and kissed me long and hard. "I love you." 

And then the pounding started at my door and Arabella started calling my name.

"I tried to stop her!" Bern yelled. "But she's very strong."

I sighed and kissed Rogan one more time before opening the door.

It wasn't just Arabella and Bern. Catalina also stood there, looking at me with pleading eyes. Grandma held up the picture of the wedding dress and Leon tried to look indiferent. And my mom stood behind them all and watched me.

"Okay," I said. "Let's plan a wedding."

My sisters squealed and Grandma started talking about flowers, but I didn't take my attention off my mom. She gave me one nod of approval. I held my head up high and gave her a nod in return.

Rogan took my hand in his and we walked back to the kitchen, surrounded by my chattering family.

And one year later, House Baylor put on the event of the year.


End file.
